European SUV gets price cut: Skoda Kodiaq 2026 picks up entry grade, undercutting Hyundai Santa Fe and Toyota Kluger

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Skoda Australia has confirmed a new entry-level Select mild-hybrid from $49,990 drive-away, replacing the old 140TSI 4×4 entry grade. 

While the change lowers Kodiaq entry-price by $5000, it makes all-wheel drive dearer, from $58,990 in mid-grade Sportline. The outgoing Select 140TSI remains available on runout until existing stock is depleted.

The freshly introduced Select MHEV sees combined fuel efficiency improve from 9.2L/100km to 6.0L/100km, dropping CO2 emissions from 209g/km to 136g/km — still 19g/km shy of 2026’s NVES Type 1 limit of 117g/km. 

Peak combined outputs for the Kodiaq Select decrease significantly, though, down 21.4-percent from 140kW/320Nm to 110kW/250Nm.

Resultantly, the new entry-Kodiaq sprints from 0-100km/hr in 9.7 seconds — 1.5 seconds slower than the “adequate” 8.2sec posting of the Kodiaq Select 140TSI.

Where seven seats came standard with the outgoing 140TSI, opting for a third row of seating raises Kodiaq Select MHEV’s price by $2000 to start from $51,990 driveaway. 

Like many mild-hybrid Volkswagen Auto Group products, the new Kodiaq Select utilises a 48-volt belt-driven starter generator to provide light assistance to its 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and seven-speed DSG.

That assistance comes in the form of additional torque during acceleration, regenerative braking capability, and the ability to coast purely on electric power, though ‘sailing’ distance is greatly limited. 

In contrast, segment leading rivals Toyota Kluger and Hyundai Santa Fe make use of more complex series-parallel plugless hybrid systems, which use high-voltage batteries and electric motors to support sustained EV-driving.

The Toyota Kluger starts from $62,410, while the Santa Fe costs $57,650, both before on-road costs. 

The comparative Kodiaq Select MHEV seven-seater outprices both, though a fairer comparison would be with the five-seat exclusive Skoda Kodiaq plug-in hybrid, priced from $63,490 drive-away. 

That car, as with the mild-hybrid, has likely been introduced by Skoda as an alternative to its volume-selling RS (which historically accounts for around 50-percent of total Kodiaq sales), in an effort to reduce incoming IEV tokens resulting from stricter annual emissions targets. 

Skoda Kodiaq 2026: prices in Australia

All prices listed are drive-away.

• Select mild-hybrid front-wheel drive five-seat: $49,990
• Select mild-hybrid front-wheel drive seven-seat: $51,990
• Select all-wheel drive seven-seat: $54,990 (currently in runout)
• Sportline all-wheel drive seven-seat: $58,990
• Select plug-in hybrid front-wheel drive five-seat: $63,490
• RS all-wheel drive seven-seat: $69,990